Zao Wou-ki

The 21st century’s capital of art---Paris, which saw the prosperity of Van Gogh, Picasso and Dali, met with the name of the Chinese abstract fashion-- Zao Wou-ki who lit up the art of ancient China. This Chinese master of art who has held nearly 400 art exhibitions on around each continents of the world including those prominent ones has been enjoying his splendid art life for fifty years in European and American countries. And there are 32 bios about him have been published. Till now his varieties as prints and canvas has been collected by over 22 countries and 86 famous artistic institutions. He’s the pride of all the Chinese people. The four lithographs we represent here is his masterpieces and the most representative works created in 1999 when he was over eighty.

Biography:

1921-1940 Zao Wou-Ki was born in Beijing in 1921. At age fourteen he enrolls at the School of Fine Arts in Hangzhou, where he remains for six years. His first exhibition demonstrates his influences: Renoir, Modigliani, Cezanne, Matisse, and Picasso.
1948-1950 Zao Wou-Ki goes to France. He attends the Academy de la Grande Chaumiere and he makes the acquaintance of Hans Hartung, Nicolas de Stael, Pierre Soulages, Viera da Silva, Sam Francis, Norman Bluhm and Jean-Paul Riopelle. In May 1949 he has first exhibition at the Gallery Creuze. Inspired by his lithographs, the writer Henri Michaux, spontaneously produces eight poems. 1951-1952 In Bern (Switzerland) Zao is mesmerized by the paintings of Paul Klee. Exhibitions in Paris, Bern, Basel, Chicago, London and finally New York with a catalogue containing a foreword by Henri Michaux.
1953-1954 Exhibitions in France, Bern, Geneva, Rome, Milan, New York... Retrospective of his engravings at The Cincinnati Museum of Fine Arts
1957-1958 First monograph written by Claude Roy and published by Le Musee de Poche.
First exhibition at the Kootz Gallery in New York.
1961-1962 Solo exhibition at the Kootz Gallery in New York and at the Tokyo Gallery in Tokyo.
In 1962 exhibitions in Madrid, at the Ateneo, and then in Cordoba, at the Gallery Liceo.
1965-1969 Retrospective in Essen, Germany, at the Folkwang Museum, paintings between 1950 and 1964.
In 1969 second retrospective exhibition at the contemporary art museum in Montreal and then at Musee du Quebec.
1975-1977 In Accrochages III, an exhibition at Centre Georges Pompidou, an entire room is devoted to his work. Exhibitions in France, Belgium, and Lebanon.
1978-1980 Exhibitions in Barcelona and at the FIAC - the contemporary art fair - in Paris, with the Gallery de France. Publication of Zao Wou-Ki, Encres, a dialogue between the artist and Francoise Marquet, with a foreword by Henri Michaux.
1981-1982 Exhibition at the Nationals Galleries du Grand Palais in Paris. The catalogue is introduced by Jean Leymarie and Francois Cheng. The exhibition travels to five destinations in Japan.
1983-1984 Exhibition in Taiwan at the National Museum of History.
1988-1989 Retrospective of his work at the Artcurial Gallery and large formats at the FiAC
Publications of Zao Wou Ki, by Claude Roy, Zao Wou Ki, by Daniel Abadie and Martine Contensou, a monograph by Gilles Plazy, Zao Wou-Ki, Encres, by Bernard Noel
1990-1992 Retrospective at the Gulbenkian foundation in Lisbon. Exhibitions in Luxembourg, Exhibitions in Germany, Switzerland, France.
1993-1994 Zao is made a Commander de la Legion d'Honneur, receives The Grande Medaille Vermeil 1994 Zao Wou-Ki receives the Imperial award from Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.
Illustrations of 24 Sonnets of Shakespeare.
Publication of a monograph by Pierre Daix, Zao Wou-Ki, l'Oeuvre 1935-1993.
1995-1997 Retrospective at the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts in Taiwan and at the Museum of Fine Arts in Hong Kong. Design for a ceramic mural panel for the future Atlantic underground station in Lisbon.
1998-2002 Participation in ARCO 1998, the international fair in Madrid.
Retrospective traveling in China, Exhibitions in Taiwan, France and Japan, the FIAC in Paris
Exhibition " Signe(s) " , inks of Henri Michaux and Zao Wou Ki.
In December , Zao Wou Ki is elected at the Academie des Beaux Arts. The Academy des Beaux-Arts is the section of the French Academy reserved to painters and architects.His official reception at the Academie is on schedule for November 2003.
2003 Two retrospectives and one exhibition are on schedule :
- February-April
In Helsinki, Taidehalli, " retrospective Zao Wou-Ki"
Curated by Markku Valkonen.
- April-May
Exhibition at the Marlbourough Gallery, New York.
- October to December
In Paris , Retrospective at the Museee du Jeu de Paume curated by Daniel Abadie
This exhibition is organized whithin the program of the Annees croisees France-Chine. 2003-2004 will be in France the " year of China ".

Articles Related:

About Zao Wou-Ki (By Cheng Chung Liao)

French Fabre Museum Pays Homage to Artist Zao Wou-Ki

TOP